| The Dawn of Civilization |
The Kurokawa District is located in the northern part of Miyagi Prefecture.
Dating back to more than 30,000 years ago, this area was inhabited by hunters.
Hills stretching north to sourth border the rich valley we know as Kurokawa.
Excavated burial mounds have yielded evidence of the hunting lifestyle.
After the eighth century, farmers settled in the valley, resulting in a
population increase and the establishment of three villages which became
what we now know as Tomiya town.
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| The Feudal Era |
During the 11th century, Kurokawa was under the control of the local ruling family, Abe. The Miyamoto Family, one of the two Big Powers at the time, once took control of the area from the Abe Family. After the Kamakura Period (1192 - 1333), warriors, farmers and merchants started to settle down in the northeastern part of mainland Japan, accelerating land development. The population of the Tohoku District (northeast part of mainland) increased, industries thrived, and local products were diversified during this period. Markets opened in the area to meet the increased demand for trade.
The warrior class of devout Buddhists moved into the area and built many temples and monuments, contributing to the promotion of Buddhism among the general public. Eleven of these monuments can be seen in Kurokawa today.
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| Early Modern Era |
Masamune Date, the first lord of the Sendai Domain, held Lord Kurokawa (whose family had been governing the area since the Middle Ages) under his control and assumed the Kurokawa District as his domain. Until Masamune Date's third son died, the Date Family held 35,000 koku (a Japanese unit of measure for volume, more often used to measure rice. The revenues of the feudal lords and salaries of the officials were estimated in koku [barrel] of rice.).
In feudal days, the Kurokawa District was ruled by three lords in their respective areas, and the administration system was extremely complicated.
Masamune Date, the first lord of the Domain, expanded his territory northward, resulting in the distance between Yoshioka and Sendai becoming longer. With the Ohshu Trail newly opened, in 1618 Tomiya was chosen as a post station for feudal lords and travelers to take a break. At that time, Tomiya consisted of only 13 households, but as the town developed as a center of people and goods, the population gradually increased.
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| Meiji Period (1868 - 1912) |
When the 15th and last shogun, Yoshinobu Tokugawa, abdicated his rule and restored the emperor to his seat of power in November 1876, great change resulted. In the first year of Meiji, 1869, Mutsu (now Miyagi Prefecture) was divided into five areas by order of the new government. The 13th lord of the Sendai Domain, Yoshikuni Date, was granted 280,000 koku and ordered to defend the Sendai Castle, but the town of Sendai was eventually devastated.
As ordered, the Sendai Domain also returned its lands and people to the emperor in 1869. In 1871, the feudal system was abolished by the emperor and the Sendai Domain changed its name to Sendai Prefecture. In 1872, its name was changed again, to Miyagi Prefecture. Miyagi Prefecture grew to become a jurisdictional area of 10 cities and 15 counties by 1876, and the administration grew and changed rapidly with the growth.
Later, the election system was reviewed and other systems were newly introduced. In 1888, the new organization of the municipality was announced, and it was implemented in 1889. At this time, Tomiya village was created by the merging of 11 other villages.
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| Taisho and Showa Periods (1912 - 1989) |
The area developed quickly during this time. The first electric power was transmitted from a nearby power station in 1919, and in 1920, automobiles began to travel the route between Sendai and Yoshioka. The first national census was conducted in 1920 as well, with 3,654 people counted in Tomiya.
In the time preceding the Second World War, the municipal system was gradually
shaped to closely resemble the current democracy. In April, 1963, Tomiya
village became Tomiya town according to a new town organization. |
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| A Roof of the Former Tomiya Elementary School, a Relic of the Magistrate's Office |
A Post Station Door Plate
Tomiya was flourishing as a post station on the Ohshu Trail connecting the north and south of the Sendai Domain in the Edo Period. This door plate was used to indicate an inn designated for feudal lords and other government officials. |
A Sutra Container from Monzen Castle
The sutra container was used for burying a passage from the Buddhist sutra in the burial mound. This container was found in the ruins of Monzen Castle in 1797, and designated as a prefectural tangible cultural property.
(owned by Tohoku History Museum) |
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